Re: Replicel

Once these cells are injected into areas of hair loss in humans, our scientists anticipate they will develop hair-producing follicles and initiate natural hair regeneration. They will also migrate into follicles that are still present but in early stages of damage – this is a rejuvenation measure and also a preventative measure against further miniaturization of the hair follicle. The new hair follicles and rejuvenated hair follicles are expected to have resistance to miniaturization caused by androgen hormones, the major cause of androgenetic alopecia.

The new cells injected will not carry enough androgen receptors to be affected by androgens – so the injected cells disrupt the underlying mechanism of hair loss. With significantly reduced numbers of cells with androgen receptors in the newly formed follicles, the androgens cannot act on the hair follicles and as such ongoing miniaturization and baldness should be prevented from occurring. In rejuvenated follicles some original androgen-responsive cells will remain. However, the injected cells will not respond to androgens. The growth signals from the injected cells should compensate for the loss of signal from the resident androgen-responsive cells.

Re: Replicel

Just had a look at their website and this paragraph stood out:

Dr. McElwee was appointed to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia in 2004. Two years later, he and Dr. Hofmann founded TrichoScience Innovations Inc. (now controlled by Newcastle Resources Ltd. doing business as Replicel Life Sciences*) with three other internationally recognized hair research scientists – Drs. Jerry Shapiro, David McLean, Harvey Lui as well as a local entrepreneur Matt Wayrynen. RepliCel is now focused on translating Dr. McElwee and Prof. Hoffmann’s scientific discoveries into a safe, non-surgical solution for treating androgenetic alopecia and other forms of hair loss in men and women.

Now I have heard of:

TrichoScience & Shapiro.

I dont know who or what they are though, does anyone with more knowledge know if that makes this product more, or less likely to be effective?

Re: Replicel

@ finfighter -
yes it's exactly the same as what you posted!

It's quite exciting when you look at the experts that they have on board, however I do think that what they are doing is aiming very high! their initial product if it gets to that stage (and fingers crossed it will) will probably need improvement. But I can't see this as anything other than a possitive move.

The fact that there's some big runners now in the race all at once is great, aderans, histogen, "The German scientists" as they are fondly known if they find a good partner or funder, I've also read that an Australian university are working on what the Germans have achieved to produce a greater yeild, I also see follica have recently put in a new patent (even though I can't see them really producing anything solid soon). And although I very much doubt ACell i'll mention it anyway.

Re: Replicel

So the clinician will not need complicated training with the supplied kit to cut the dermal sheath cup and place the exposed cells in a solution. So if the whole procedure takes 2 hours, then the multiplication of the cells would take less than 2 hours. This is a procedure will they'll pluck a 10 or 20 hairs and you could come back the next do to get you injections.

There is a couple of things that concern me. First of all, I don't think this procedure is going to cost a lot, however, what the paper mentioned was the potential for clinics to make a sizable margin on this procedure. So you may have to shop around for the best price. The other thing is, since the clinician will not need complicated training or equipment, you may not only have doctors applying this procedure but the assistants. A clinic who is receiving a high number of patients for this procedure, especially those that are charging less than the market, the possibility of having an accident, mistaken identity, injecting or transplanting some else hair cell follicles into your scalp is a risk.

Re: Replicel

Re: Replicel

From Website

Development Timeline

RepliCel’s hair-cell replacement procedure is now undergoing further rigorous study to determine effectiveness. The first human clinical trials (Phase I/IIa) began in Europe in December 2010. Canadian clinical trials are planned for 2012, with European trials to follow.

Its not a drug therapy which is a good news. Will it work? I really hope so. I don't know what they mean by phase IIa and don't want to guess, but there willingness to commit to trails in Canada and Europe is a positive sign.